U.S. patent number 5,454,617 [Application Number 08/239,254] was granted by the patent office on 1995-10-03 for mounting device for a swingably mounted sun visor for motor vehicles.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Gebr. Happich GmbH. Invention is credited to Patrick Welter.
United States Patent |
5,454,617 |
Welter |
October 3, 1995 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Mounting device for a swingably mounted sun visor for motor
vehicles
Abstract
A mounting device, particularly for swingably mounted sun visors
of motor vehicles. The visor has a shaft with one end section
attached to the vehicle and is swingable between first and second
end positions around the other end section of the sun visor body
which can be inserted into a mounting member of the sun visor body.
A detent device is provided with a spring which engages the sun
visor body in force locked manner with the shaft in at least one
position of the range of swing of the visor body and produces
within its range of displacement a moment to be overcome upon a
displacement. The mounting member has a mounting hole with at least
one radially widened, axially extending groove. The end section of
the shaft, which is inserted into the mounting hole, is developed
with an axially extending groove with closed ends and outwardly
diverging groove walls. A spring, which is adapted in length to the
groove, is inserted with initial tension in the groove. The spring
consists of a spring steel sheet, and has a U-shaped cross section
with arms converging towards the free end and resting against the
groove walls.
Inventors: |
Welter; Patrick (La Chambre,
FR) |
Assignee: |
Gebr. Happich GmbH
(DE)
|
Family
ID: |
6487489 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/239,254 |
Filed: |
May 6, 1994 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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May 7, 1993 [DE] |
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43 152 32.5 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/97.9;
296/97.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J
3/0204 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60J
3/02 (20060101); B60J 003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/97.1,97.9,97.12,97.13 ;16/297,342 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0207777 |
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Jan 1987 |
|
EP |
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0525143 |
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Feb 1993 |
|
EP |
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2470703 |
|
Jun 1981 |
|
FR |
|
2495066 |
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Jun 1982 |
|
FR |
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7623293 |
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Nov 1976 |
|
DE |
|
2551633 |
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May 1977 |
|
DE |
|
3402416 |
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Jul 1985 |
|
DE |
|
Primary Examiner: Kramer; Dean
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb &
Soffen
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mounting device for a swingably mounted sun visor for a motor
vehicle, the sun visor including a sun visor body, a shaft having a
first and end section that is attachable to the vehicle and having
a second end section insertable into the sun visor body;
a mounting member in the sun visor body for receiving the second
end section of the shaft and for moving along with the sun visor
body;
the mounting member having a wall defining a hole through the
mounting member for receiving the second end section of the shaft,
the hole having an axially extending and radially widened groove
therein, the second end section being shaped to rotate in the
mounting hole;
an axially extending groove having side walls and being defined in
the side of the shaft second end section;
a spring of U-shaped cross section including legs joined by a web,
the spring being shaped and biased so that the web thereof is
pressed out against the wall defining the mounting hole, the spring
being installed in the groove in the second end section, the legs
of the spring engaging the side walls of the groove, the spring
further being under initial tension and projecting outward from the
groove to engage the wall of the mounting hole, and the spring
engaging the wall of the groove holding the mounting member and the
visor body at selected rotation positions and also detenting that
position of the mounting member when the second end section of the
shaft is rotated in the mounting member so that the spring is in
the radially widened groove of the mounting hole.
2. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, wherein the
groove in the second end section of the shaft has outwardly
diverging groove walls and the arms of the U-shaped spring converge
toward the free ends thereof, which ends extend into the groove in
the second end section, and the arms of the spring rest against the
walls of the groove.
3. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, wherein the
radially widened groove in the mounting member is positioned so
that with the spring in the groove, the mounting member and visor
body are in the nonuse position of the visor body.
4. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, wherein the web
of the U-shaped spring includes an axially extending bend for
providing the web with a ridge shape that fits into the groove of
the mounting hole.
5. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, further
comprising a projection extending out of the groove in the second
end section of the shaft, the projection being of a length to
contact and support the web of the spring against the wall of the
mounting hole when the mounting member is rotated so that the
spring is contacting the wall of the mounting hole outside the
radially widened groove.
6. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, wherein the
mounting member is comprised of wear resistant plastic
material.
7. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 1, further
comprising a reinforcement insert in the visor body for stiffening
the visor body, the mounting member being arranged on the
reinforcement insert.
8. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 7, further
comprising spaced apart mounting lugs developed on the
reinforcement insert at the mounting member and the mounting member
being seated between the mounting lugs on the insert; and THE shaft
second end section extending through at least one mounting lug and
the mounting member.
9. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 8, further
comprising means On the mounting member for receiving the
reinforcement insert.
10. The mounting device for a sun visor of claim 7, further
comprising means on the mounting member for receiving the
reinforcement insert.
11. The mounting device for a sun visor body of claim 10, wherein
the means on the mounting member for receiving the reinforcement
insert comprises a region developed as a double armed fork defining
a plug type socket, and the reinforcement insert being shaped to
form a plug in connection to the socket of the mounting member.
12. The mounting device for a sun visor body of claim 7, wherein
the mounting member includes means thereon for receiving the
reinforcement insert plugged into the mounting member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mounting device for a swingably
mounted sun visor of a motor vehicle. The visor has a shaft with
one end section which can be attached beneath the roof of the
vehicle and another end section which is adapted to be inserted in
a mounting member of the sun visor body and about which the sun
visor body can be swung between first and second end positions.
There is a detent device having a spring which resists swinging of
the visor body and holds its set positions. The detent device
engages the sun visor body with the shaft in a force locked manner
in at least one position of the range of swing and produces in its
region of displacement a moment which is to be overcome upon a
displacement.
Federal Republic of Germany 25 51 633 C2 shows a mounting for a sun
visor body including a leaf spring which is bent into a U-shape.
The arms of the U clamp the shaft of the mounting device on which
the sun visor body is swingably mounted. In order to form a detent
device, the shaft is provided with flats against which the arms of
the spring rest in a selected detented rotation position. The
spring is relatively large and also relatively expensive to
manufacture. One particular disadvantage is that this traditional
mounting can be removed from the sun visor body only with great
difficulty. But, this is still necessary if the sun visor body is
to be used again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Proceeding from the described mounting device, the object of the
present invention is to comparatively simply and inexpensively
manufacture the mounting device, but enable it to be removed very
easily from the sun visor body in order to be able to recycle the
entire sun visor without having to sort different materials.
According to the invention, the mounting device includes a mounting
member which has a usually circular mounting hole extending axially
through it. The hole has at least one radially widened, axially
extending, trough shaped groove or widening at one radial position
around the hole. The end section of the shaft inserted into the
mounting hole is developed with an axially extending groove along
one side of the shaft end section and that groove has closed ends.
The shaft end section defines walls of the groove which preferably
diverge outward.
A spring adapted to the length of the groove is insertable with
initial tension into the groove in the shaft end section. The
spring is formed of spring steel sheet and has a U-shaped cross
section. Its arms preferably converge toward their free ends so as
to rest against the diverging walls of the groove in the shaft end
section. This normally urges the spring out of the groove so that
its central web can rub the wall of the hole in the mounting member
and also can be urged into the trough shaped widening of the hole
through the mounting member.
The mounting device of the invention comprises only a few parts
which can be produced easily and which furthermore can be easily
mounted and, more importantly, can also be removed rapidly and
easily. For its removal, the visor support shaft, together with the
spring received by it, need merely be pulled out of the mounting
member. The sun visor body, which may be comprised entirely of
plastic, can then be sent directly for recycling.
In a further development of the invention, the spring positioned in
the groove of the shaft end section is of U-shaped cross section
and has an axially extending sharper bend in its web joining its
arms. The web has a ridge shape which fits into the groove shaped
widening or trough of the mounting hole when the visor is rotated
into a position where it is desirably detented, like the nonuse
position against the vehicle roof. Due to its development and the
incline of the walls of the groove, the spring constantly tries to
slide out of the groove in the shaft, so it thereby drops softly
into the groove shaped widening of the mounting hole. That widening
defines a detent position upon a corresponding movement of
displacement of the sun visor body. Hard impact noises are
avoided.
The web of the spring can be supported by a projection which
extends up from the bottom of the groove in the end section of the
shaft, when the bend of the web is located outside of the at least
one groove shaped widening of the mounting hole, i.e., when the
bend of the web is in the round part of the mounting hole. However,
the projection also connects the ends of the groove to each other
and thus counteracts weakening of the shaft.
The mounting member is preferably comprised of a wear resistant
plastic and is developed as a plastic injection molding. Polyacetal
resin can advantageously be used as the plastic.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mounting member is
advantageously arranged on a reinforcement insert which stiffens
the sun visor body. That insert is developed as a plastic injection
molding. The manufacture of the mounting member separate from the
reinforcement insert has the advantage that a high grade plastic
material is necessary only for producing the mounting member, which
is of small size, while the reinforcement insert can be made from a
cheaper material, preferably polypropylene. Furthermore, the
reinforcement insert can be used for different sun visor designs.
In that case, only the mounting member need be adapted, for
instance in the case of changed detent positions.
The mounting member preferably is seated between two mounting eyes
which are formed spaced apart on the reinforcement insert, and the
mounting member is plug in connected on the reinforcement insert.
The cross section of the openings of the mounting eyes is adapted
to the inserted shaft so that the shaft cannot be pulled out of the
mounting member when the spring is in the at least one detent
position. The mounting member can have a portion of its body
developed as a double armed lever to serve as a plug socket for the
plug in connection to be produced with the reinforcement
insert.
Other objects and features of the invention are described below
with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view, broken away in part, of a sun visor body for
motor vehicles with mounting device;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sun visor of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a section along the line A--A of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a section along the line B--B of FIG. 2 in a position of
use of the sun visor body; and
FIG. 5 is a section along the line B--B of FIG. 2 in a position of
nonuse or detent position of the sun visor body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The sun visor in which the invention is employed includes a sun
visor body 1 having a core 2 of a foam material, preferably
expanded polypropylene. A reinforcement insert 3 is embedded in the
core 2. A cover 4 over the core is preferably a thermoplastic
polyolefin foil.
For swingable and flappable attachment of the visor to a car body
(not shown), a visor mounting L-shaped shaft 6 is provided in one
corner of the sun visor body 1. One end section of the shaft is in
a mounting member 5 in the visor body, while the other end section
of the shaft is adapted to be fastened to the body of the vehicle
with the interposition of a small bracket 7 fastened on the body.
An outer support shaft 8 is arranged on the opposite end of the sun
visor body 1. It serves for detachable and turnable suspension in
an outer support bracket (not shown) on the body of the vehicle.
The arm of the L-shaped shaft 6 which is mounted in the sun visor
body 1 and the outer support shaft 8 are aligned with each other
along an edge of the sun visor body 1. They define the axis for the
swinging down of the sun visor against the windshield in order to
move it from its position of nonuse in the vicinity of the ceiling
or roof into its position of use in the vicinity of the windshield.
The sun visor body 1 can also be swung against a side window by
removing the outer support shaft from the outer support bracket
(not shown) on the vehicle body and swinging it against the side
window around the arm of the shaft 6 which is mounted in the small
bracket 7.
The reinforcement insert 3, which is developed as an injection
molding of low quality plastic, e.g., polypropylene, extends as a
rail incorporated in the upper edge of the sun visor body 1. On its
mounting side and toward the shaft 6, the insert 3 has two mounting
lugs 9 arranged spaced from and facing toward each other. The
mounting member 5 is inserted into the resulting space between the
mounting lugs 9. The mounting member 5 is made as an injection
molding from high grade plastic. As shown in the larger scale of
FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting member 5 has a circular mounting hole
10 extending axially through it which is centered on the centers of
the mounting lugs 9 for the shaft end section to pass through at
least one of the lugs. The hole 10 has a trough shaped radial
widening or groove 11 at one radial side and which extends along
the entire length of the mounting member 5. Furthermore, the
mounting member 5 is developed with an approximately tear shaped
profile. The widening of hole 10 extends into the elongated body
part of the mounting member. The body of the member has a region 12
which is developed as a double armed fork which creates a plug type
socket 13 for enabling a plug in connection attachment between the
mounting member 5 and the reinforcement insert 3 (see FIGS. 4,
5).
On its end section which is inserted into the mounting hole 10 of
the mounting member 5, the shaft 6 has an axially extending groove
14 into one side with closed axial ends and outwardly diverging
groove walls 15. The axial length of the groove 14 corresponds
approximately to the length of the mounting member 5. The groove is
circumferentially divided by a projection 16 which protrudes from
its bottom, extends over the length of the groove and passes into
the ends thereof.
The groove 14 receives a spring 17 which is in the form of an
elongated stamped part comprised of spring steel sheet. It has a
U-shaped cross section with arms which converge toward their free
ends and rest against the diverging walls 15 of the groove. The
spring includes a web between its arms which is provided with an
axially extending bend. This provides the web with a ridge shape
which fits into the groove or trough shaped widening 11 of the
mounting hole 10 of the mounting member 5. The spring 17 is
increasingly tensioned the deeper it is forced into the groove
14.
FIG. 4 shows the active position of the spring supported by the
projection 16 over the region of swing of the sun visor body 1. The
spring 17 produces a frictional force against the wall of the hole
10 which, as has been shown by experiment, is sufficient to hold
the sun visor body 1 in every position of swing. FIG. 5 shows the
spring in the detent position of the sun visor body 1, which
position preferably coincides with the position of nonuse of the
sun visor body 1 against the ceiling. In the FIG. 5 position, the
spring rests in the trough widening 11.
The end section of the shaft 6 which passes through the mounting
lugs 9 of the insert 3 as well as the mounting hole 10 of the
mounting member 5 can be provided on its free end with a slit,
mushroom-like thickening 18 in order to prevent the shaft from
being unintentionally pulled out of the mounting member 5. The
mushroom head, however, is intended merely to make removal
difficult but not to prevent it.
Although the present invention has been described in relation to a
particular embodiment thereof, many other variations and
modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled
in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention
be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the
appended claims.
* * * * *